to Dallas and acquired midfielder Eric Alexander, the Timbers announced Friday afternoon.

The 6-foot-1, 165-pound Alexander, 23, appeared in 22 games (16 starts) for Dallas this season. He scored two goals and added three assists in 17 games with Dallas in 2010. He played primarily as a central midfielder.

"He has good experience in the league - he has been in the playoffs and a (championship game)," said Gavin Wilkinson, the Timbers general manager. "And we need more depth that we can maintain within the salary cap."

Hall started in the Timbers first 15 games (17 games overall this season) and he posted three assists. He started at an outside midfielder position for the first six games of the season and then was moved to the outside defender position for the following nine games. However, the 22-year-old Hall, whom the Timbers acquired in a trade with New York Nov. 22, fell out of the playing rotation when Portland

outside defenders Lovel Palmer and Mike Chabala in a trade with Houston July 21.

Hall was making $130,000 this season and was scheduled to earn a higher salary in 2012. Alexander will earn $46,750 this season.

"(Jeremy) had dropped down the pecking order. Now we had a piece that was making decent money sitting on the bench," Wilkinson said. "Eric represented the opportunity to bring in a quality player while maintaining the integrity of the salary cap within the organization."

Alexander will be available to play for the Timbers' game against Vancouver Saturday night.